Advocacy

ICA –Standing Firm on our Principles in Protecting and Promoting Chiropractic

The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) continues its 97 year legacy of protecting and promoting chiropractic. We do this through regular interaction with legislators and policymakers, by working where ever and when ever possible in professional collaboration in health care and in the chiropractic profession. ICA promotes policies and legislation that are focused on improving access to chiropractic and improved treatment of the chiropractic profession in government programs for research, loans, and reimbursement.

As we did 97 years ago in the challenges to have all states and territories develop a fair and appropriate doctor of chiropractic license, the ICA stands firm and speaks up when proposals, proposed legislation and policies do not meet the high standard of staying true to chiropractic as a separate and distinct profession based on its own science, art, and philosophy. The ICA is actively engaged in promoting our legislative, policy, and research goals.

The ICA actively works to help those who care about chiropractic – doctors, students, and patients get the facts about laws, proposed laws and policies and give them tools to become effective advocates. We actively encourage everyone to engage in advocating for improvements to the laws and policies that affect the relationship between patient and provider.

Federal Level Advocacy -Working to End the Discrimination Created by Restraint of Trade Activity of Medical Establishment in the 1960s.

ICA has established a priority to see eliminated the traces of 60 years of discrimination against chiropractic patients and the doctors who serve them in all federally funded and managed programs.

Click to read about the history of the Wilk et al v. American Medical Ass’n case, please click

Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Harriet Tubman

History of the ICA’s Advocacy Efforts

The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) was established in 1926 as an organization focused on advancing the profession of chiropractic through advocacy and development.  Initial efforts focused on securing legal recognition and licensure for chiropractic in all US states and then.   This was achieved in the United States through intensive organized state level legislation. Once accomplished, the ICA expanded its focus to seek and secure formal recognition of chiropractic as a doctor-level profession outside the United States.  Simultaneously, the ICA ran a campaign to secure the inclusion of chiropractic in both public and private insurance programs and to secure the right of all beneficiaries to choose the chiropractic care pathway without referral from any other class of provider. These continue to be active campaigns and will remain the heart of ICA’s advocacy.

Promotion of legislation and federal regulations that will implement new national programs that are fair and open to chiropractic practitioners and patients in the US Congress and all US states and territories remains a difficult and daunting task. ICA recognizes and embraces a profound obligation to the profession and the public to continue to expand the rights of chiropractic practitioners and patients.

ICA educates legislators and policy makers at all levels of government about the importance of chiropractic care.

Medicine is the study of disease and what causes man to die. Chiropractic is the study of health and what causes man to live.

– B.J. PALMER

Stay Informed

Get the latest chiropractic news, events, and more.